Couples to get free counselling to cut cost of broken homes

Couples will receive free counselling sessions to help them stay together as part of a government drive to support marriage and cut the cost of family breakdown.

As part of the relationship support programme, couples can take advantage of telephone and online counselling sessions with the charity Relate.

They can also use a government-backed website, called The Couple Connection, which is currently featuring advice suggesting that men buy their partner a card on Valentine’s Day, even if they feel cynical about the occassion.

The website sjares the example of Adam, from Essex, who says: “I think Valentine’s Day is a massive con and I’ve never really done anything for it.

“But then one year my girlfriend kist exploded – all this stuff about how I couldn’t care about her if I couldn’t even be bothered to get her a card.

“I didn’t realise I’d upset her so much and all she’d wanted me to do is show that I was thinking about her.”